Description

Steven Tu, alias Tuism, is a game designer, designer, artist, illustrator, creative, and founder of Twoplus Games, which is currently focussing on pushing the interactive boundaries of intense mobile games with games like Dead Run (soon to be released) and Beat Attack (currently in alpha). Steven also makes boardgames, with Cartel being his latest prototype.

Previously, Steven co-created Otaku, the South African anime magazine, designed T-shirts for the likes of Teefury and Springleap, and got D&AD and Loeries for excellence in digital advertising. He loves MakeGamesSA, and to prove it, he designed its logo.

History

At first

Though Steven had never thought of it as such, he had always been making games. From cardboard and pencil dungeons in his youth, to two games during last years of high school in Turbo Pascal, to a D&AD Yellow Pencil winner (in interactive web design) during his University of Pretoria Information Design degree, to more award-winning Flash rich media banners, websites, and an elaborate Augmented Reality whack-a-mole game with a ghostly Michael Jackson theme (He loves Michael Jackson) for the illustrious Digital Agency Gloo. Steven had always held the same principle - make things that people will want, as opposed to things you have to push in their face.

When Steven met Game Makers

It was only when Steven met the MakeGamesSA game developers association during A MAZE 2012 (the first time the international indie game festival had come to Johannesburg from Berlin), that he had realised that game making was a true and serious calling, and not just a mere passing interest.

His first contribution to the then-fledgling association was to design its logo, and then he delved headlong into learning the game dev's art. First, with Game Maker Studio, then now Unity. With the help of many incredible people and wonderful souls in the association, Steven has made several prototypes games over the period of two years, most notable of which are Bear Chuck, Rocketto, Echo (a Global Game Jam 2014 game), Landshark Missile Attack (for Ludum Dare 29) and most recently Dead Run, which is on the verge of commercial release.

Twoplus Games

On 1 September 2014, Steven officially exited employement and launched his company, Twoplus Games, to focus on making games and game making consultancy services. Dead Run will be Twoplus's first published title, with several other games in the pipeline, including both digital and boardgames! For the most up-to-date information, check out twoplusgames.com.